Bruce Cockburn (from the album O Sun O Moon

Bruce Cockburn (from the album O Sun O Moon

Bruce Cockburn (from the album O Sun O Moon on True North Records) (by Lee Zimmerman)
 
Never mind the fact that Bruce Cockburn has enjoyed a remarkable career, one that’s netted him 13 Juno Awards, an induction into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, recognition as an Officer of the Order of Canada, and some 22 gold and platinum records. Those are no small accomplishments, ample reason why Cockburn is looked on as one of Canada’s most iconic singer/songwriters. And yet, Bruce Cockburn has never resisted the pull of an ongoing musical mantra.
 
That could be considered ample reason why each new album is looked at with such absolute anticipation. He continues to carry the torch that represents his country’s essential musical heritage. With the recent passing of Gordon Lightfoot and Ian Tyson, he’s among the last of a certain breed, a singer/songwriter whose music is rooted in the folk tradition of a traveling troubadour.
 
That said, Cockburn has always refused to be confined to any singular genre. His music has embraced not only Folk, but also Rock, Jazz and World rhythms. He’s unafraid to delve into political posturing when it comes to reflecting his activism and observations, even at the risk of coming across as contentious, cankerous or controversial.

Coming on the heels of his recent greatest hits collection, one that spanned the first 30 years of his career and the remarkable 28 albums he’s released along the way, O Sun O Moon is another musical masterpiece, a stunning pastiche of sound, soul and suggestion. The man who once declared, ‘if I had a rocket launcher, some son of a bitch would die’ takes a more contemplative perspective here. Opening track, “On a Roll” seems to sum up that stance:
 
‘Howl of rage, howl of grief
Here comes the heat, with no relief
Social behavior
Beyond belief
Throw those punches, drop that ball
Commit to nothing, excuse it all
Here comes the future
Here comes the fall’
 
Granted, it’s a decidedly pessimistic point of view, but even more so, it’s indicative of Bruce Cockburn’s acceptance of present circumstance. ‘What will of wrong, will go wrong’ he insists on “Push Comes to Shove” before ultimately conceding that love will carry the day. ‘What will go right will go right’. 

Indeed, Bruce Cockburn takes a generally mellow tone, with certain songs — the lovely “Colin Went Down to the Water,” a somewhat fatalistic “Into the Now”, the shimmering yet foreboding “Us All”, the reassuring title track, and the gentle yet compelling caress of “When the Spirit Walks in the Room” ranking among the most affecting ballads he’s ever offered. Even the subdued “King of the Bolero” and “When You Arrive” — each of which find his voice adapting a grizzled Tom Waits-like tone courtesy of a quiet vamp accompanied by sax and clarinet — create a sound that’s similarly subdued.

That’s not to say Cockburn’s concerns have been alleviated in any way. “To Keep the World We Know” offers an explicit warning about the need to be good caretakers of our environs. There is subtle messaging imbued in each of these songs, adding extra layers of intelligence and insight to each one.
 
In those ways and more, O Sun O Moon finds Cockburn shinning as brightly and brilliantly as ever. (by Lee Zimmerman)
 
Listen and buy the music of Bruce Cockburn from AMAZON
 
For more information and purchase options, please visit the Bruce Cockburn website